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Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health was initiated in 1994 as a rapid assessment technique to evaluate rangeland health.  Seventeen indicators are used to rate the status of three attributes of rangeland health: 1) Soil/Site Stability, 2) Hydrologic Function, and 3) Biotic Integrity.  The published versions of this protocol are Version 3 published in 2000 and Version 4 published in 2005.  Version 5 represents a continuing effort by the interagency cadre to improve the ease of use and consistency in application of the protocol. The most significant modification is strengthening and expansion of text providing guidance on how to describe the reference for each indicator in the Reference Sheet. The Reference Sheet facilitates consistent application of the process on each ecological site by integrating all available sources of data and knowledge to generate a single range of reference conditions for each indicator.   Another key clarification is that the reference sheet is based on the natural range of variability within the reference state, not the entire reference state. The reference state can include community phases that reflect departure from the natural range of variability, particularly (but not solely) as a threshold transition to another state is approached. This revision also supports the desire of many users of this technique to supplement their evaluations with quantitative measurements, and to use these measurements as a baseline for monitoring.  Version 5 reflects the input of many users both in the USA and other countries where this protocol has been utilized.